Condiment dispenser with discharge openings through the upper rim of a container and covered by a lid portion



g 23, 1951 H; M. VON DUYKE 2,566,004 I CONDIMENT DISPENSER WITH DISCHARGE OPENINGS THROUGH THE UPPER RIM OF A CONTAINER AND COVERED BY A LID PORTION Filed Dec. 5. 1946 INVENTOR. Hear/7:00 M Vo/zfiuyke BY a.

ATTORNE/ Patented Aug. 28, 1951 ISATENT OFFICE CONDIMENT DISPENSER W ITH DISCHARGE OPENINGS THROUGH THE-UPPER RIM F CONTAINER AND COVERED BY A LID PORTION liarrison M ytiipqyke, assignor to Von Evan; Ina; Avondal; Pay a cororation of Delaware Appraisal fieiiitei 5, 1946, sea 1%. 714306 W This invention relat to condiment pensers, and it relates more particularlf to di'sf-j' Densers designed'for the ready and coniienient" usefof t, pep enfln l e a i ii inetabli O neof the principal difficulties heretofore en countered in the use of condiment dispensers, particularly those used for discharging common table salt, was due to the natural tendency of the salt to absorb moisture from the air, and to then accumulate in and around the discharge openings so that the same quickly became clogged and the dispenser became inoperative;

In the use of dispensers of the ordinary type,. having a plurality of holesfor the discharge of the contents, when the holes become clogged or stopped up, they are difficult to clean; and persons attempting to use the same usually become greatly exasperated; w The principal object of the present inventipn is to: provide a' dispenser for table condiments, such as salt and pepper, of noyel construction and arrangements, so that in the"eventjthe'dis= charge-openings becomeclogged, the same may be'quickly cleaned andthe device put in-'condi= tion for use with a-minimum'of efiort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character aforesaid, in which the tendency of the discharge openings to become" clogged, will be reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention isjtd'n fO- vide, as a specific form of device, aunitary container having a" plurality of compartments from either of which the materia eo'n'tained the ein may be dispensed without the material from the other compartment being discharged at the same time.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a combined salt and pepper shaker embodying the main features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section thereof taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the device shown in the previous views but with the lid removed; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a modified form of the device.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and e Glahiii. (c1. 222 :1424) changes may be made in the 'structfire. disclosed without departing from the spirit of the in'- vention. i

v Referring now moreparticularly to Fi'gs. 1',,,2,

3 and 4 of the drawing, the invention as there shown comprises a suitably shaped container 6 having a central vertically d'isposed..partition 1', so as to provide twotinterior ctinpartmefitsga and 9, designed to hfil'd salt'anc b'fipr respectiv'ely. r l.

The openings forthejdischarg' of the contents of the compartments 8' and 9 are ,inad bythe provision, in theoujter'side wall of each compartment, at theitobimarginal'edge thereof, of a series. of serrations or indentations lll. A lid member II is provided, having a, flat under-surface, the marginal portion of which engages the top edges' of the' walls of thecon tamer 6 and servesyin'conjunction with theserrations" It; to provide at each side,' atthej top, afplurality of openings for the discharge of the material from within the compartments 8 and 9 respectively. I v p t The lid ll may be attachedto the'container' 6 in any suitable manner, but preferably designed to be mounted on the top of theflcontainer 6 in, such manner as tq beeasily and readily' removajbletherefrom; For example, oneachside of thei container ,6 thereniay be provided lugs 12 which may be engaged by suitable spring tongues'fllii extending downwardly from theside' edges*of the'lid I I. The lid H may also be'p'rovide'd' with downwardly extending lugs [4," on" each side thereof, and disposed towardthe ends for the purpose of properly positioning the lid ii on the top of the container 6.

The operation of the device as above described will be readily understood. When it is desired to discharge the contents of either of the compartments 8 or 9, the container 6 is tilted with the desired serrated side portion disposed downwardly, thereby to cause the material in the lower compartment to discharged through the apertures Hi, the discharge being assisted, if necessary, by shaking the device.

If it should be found that the material does not flow or discharge properly, by reason of the openings It being closed by accumulations of the material which should normally pass therethrough, the same may be quickly cleared by removing the lid H which, in many instances, will cause the material which has accumulated in the serrated portion I2 to remove itself therefrom. However, if necessary, the serrated portion I2 may be cleaned with any suitable imp1e ment, such as a knife, fork, or any other table utensil which may be convenient. Also, if the material within one of the compartments should become caked or hardened, it will be comparatively easy to break up and pulverized the same, upon the removal of the lid l i, 'by means of any available table utensil.

In Fig. 5 ofrthe drawing there is shown a modifled form of the invention in which, instead of a' plurality of indentations or serrations being provided for the discharge of the material, a relatively narrow slot [0a is provided for the discharge of the material within the container.

This slot a is provided by cutting out a shallow indentation in the top edge of the end wall of the container, so that when the lid ii is placed thereon the inner surface of the lidwill define one edge of the slot. An arrangement such as this may be even more readily cleaned than is the case with serrated device shown in Figs. 1 to 4, although in some other respects it may not be so desirable.

I claim:

1. A condiment dispenser comprising a container the top marginal edge of which is provided with an indentation extending entirely through the side wall of the container, a lid removably but non-rotatably mounted on said container having portions engaging the top marginal edge of the container and over the indentation providing in connection therewith when the lid is normally positioned on the top of the container, an opening for the sidewise discharge of the material from within the container, and spring means for normally holding the lid on the top of the container, said holding means permitting the lid to be readily removed for the purpose of clearing the discharge opening of any of the material which may lodge therein.

2. A condiment dispenser comprising a container the top marginal edge of which is provided with a serrated portion, the serrations extending entirely through the side wall of the container, a lid removably but non-rotatably mounted on. said container having portions engaging the top marginal edge of the container and over the serrated portion of the edge of the container providing in connection therewith, when the lid is normally positioned on the top of the container, a plurality of openings for the sidewise discharge of the material from within the container, and spring means for normally holding the lid on the top of the container, said holding means permittin the lid to be readily removed for the purpose of clearing the discharge openings of any of the material which may lodge therein.

3. A condiment dispenser comprising a container having a vertical partition subdividing the interior thereof into two compartments, the top marginal edge of said container being provided on each side thereof opposite the central partition with a series of indentations extending entirely through the side wall of the container, a lid removably but non-rotatably mounted in fixed position on said container having portions engagin the top marginal edge of the container and over the aforesaid indentations providing in connection therewith, when the lid is normally positioned on the'top of the container, a series of openings on each side for the selective sidewise discharge of the material from the respective compartments, and spring means for normally holding the lid on the top of the container comprising integral tongues depending from the lid and engaging portions of the container at places intermediate the discharge openings, said holdin means permitting the lid to be readily removed for the purpose of clearing the discharge openings of any of the material which may lodge therein.

HARRISON M. VON DUYKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 780,292 Jones Jan. 17, 1905 834,096 Williamson Oct. 23, 1906 885,103 Strachan Apr. 21, 1908 924,959 Bennett June 15, 1909 1,154,656 Roberts Sept. 28, 1915 1,576,151 Slick Mar. 9, 1926 1,624,407 Hamilton Apr. 12, 1927 1,763,449 Trautvetter June 10, 1930 1,894,076 Weidlich et al Jan. 10, 1933 2,048,118 Gonen et al. July 21, 1936 2,328,246 Albion Aug. 31, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 257,205 Great Britain Aug. 26, 1926 445,407 Germany June 7, 1926 678,124 France Dec. 23, 1929 357,156 Great Britain Oct. 22, 1931 614,227 Germany -June 5, 1935 45,987 Netherlands June 15, 1939 

